


Unshaven

by pollitt



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-19
Updated: 2011-09-19
Packaged: 2017-10-23 20:53:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/254868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pollitt/pseuds/pollitt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock has a request.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unshaven

**Author's Note:**

> This fic (and my Sherlock muse) were inspired by [this picture](http://drblah.tumblr.com/post/4482506264/martin-freeman-lookin-all-cute-and-scruffy).
> 
> Thank you to Maverick and Data for the beta.

"I don't know that I can think of the last time I've been this tired. Or this glad to be home," John said, less than gracefully slumping onto the couch. He ran his hand over his face. "I'm too tired to even shave this bristly mess."

"Would you consider," Sherlock asked, sinking onto the couch alongside John, "not shaving?"

John looked over at him and sighed, letting his head fall back against the back of the couch as he pleaded. "Don't tell me you want us to to go undercover. Sherlock, we solved the case, did we not? We solved the case and we haven't been home in _days_ and all I want--I need--is to sleep in my own bed. And to wake up tomorrow with nowhere that I need to be. The clinic can do without me unless they want me sleeping under my desk again."

"I assure you this has nothing to do with a case and everything to do with me." Sherlock ran the back of his fingers over John's cheek, against the grain of John’s scruff. “I'm rather... fond, of your current appearance. And I would be very pleased if you kept this--at least for a few days longer--now that the case is completed. And seeing as how you’ve just mentioned your intention to not put in clinic hours tomorrow, there’s a less than pressing need to clean yourself up, as it were."

John smiled, sliding his hand onto Sherlock's thigh. "You’d like me with whiskers, then?"

Sherlock looked taken aback by the comment, as though that thought had never occurred to him. "No! No. I don't think permanent facial hair would flatter you in everyday life. But a little unkempt... Given the rate of growth of your facial hair, I’d ask that you shave no earlier than Tuesday."

The tips of Sherlock’s ears flushed red, as did the skin just below his jaw--something that didn’t escape John’s attention. John’s smile was wide and indulgent. “If it means this much to you, I suppose I could leave the razor alone for a couple of days. And who am I to deny such a request from Sherlock Holmes?” He turned his head and his smile became something more intimate as Sherlock cupped his cheek. “What would you say to a little trade-off?”

Sherlock blinked. “A trade-off?”

“Yes.” John shifted so his body was angled toward Sherlock’s, his knee bumping up against Sherlock’s thigh. “I’ll keep this until...Tuesday, right? If you’ll promise to stay in bed until at least seven. We have no cases for you to pore over at all hours, there’s nothing that would require violin plucking at three in the morning. I want to wake up at a normal time and have you still asleep next to me.”

As Sherlock opened his mouth to add something, John continued. “Or at least still in bed. I won’t ask for a miracle that you’d actually still be asleep.”

“It would mean that much to you?” Sherlock asked, looking closely at John’s face.

“It would.”

Sherlock smiled widely, like a cat who’d been given the keys to the birdhouse. “Then we have an agreement.”

“What say we begin it now.” John pushed at Sherlock’s shoulder, nudging him back to the corner of the couch. “Starting with sleep.”

Sherlock laughed, sliding his legs up onto the couch and shifting so John could settle next to him, could tuck his bristled chin into the crook of Sherlock’s neck. The rumble of laughter was paired with a pleased shudder when John kissed the underside of Sherlock’s jaw and rubbed his chin against Sherlock’s neck.

“Keep that up, and your oft-mentioned sleep is going to be rather difficult to accommodate.” Sherlock tilted John’s chin up and he leaned forward, kissing him.

“I think I’m going to come out the victor in this arrangement,” John said, draping his arm and leg across Sherlock’s chest and thighs.

Sherlock didn’t answer. He just smiled and wrapped his arm around John’s shoulder.

Within minutes they were asleep.


End file.
